Charlotte Premium Outlets to open July 31 in Steele Creek

Charlotte’s first outlet mall is set to open in Steele Creek on July 31 with 100 stores, the companies behind the project said Monday. Charlotte Premium Outlets is expected to employ about 900 workers, according to Simon Property Group and Tanger Factory Outlet Centers.

Charlotte’s first outlet mall is set to open in Steele Creek on July 31 with 100 stores, the companies behind the project said Monday.

Charlotte Premium Outlets is expected to employ about 900 workers, according to Simon Property Group and Tanger Factory Outlet Centers. They expect the mall to generate $140 million worth of annual sales. The companies had originally planned to build competing outlet malls – one east of Charlotte and one on the Steele Creek site – but eventually decided to team up and build one mall.

“Charlotte Premium Outlets will be marketed as a shopping destination for area and regional residents and a year-round attraction for area visitors including tour groups,” the companies said in a statement.

Charlotte and Mecklenburg County agreed to give Simon and Tanger $5.1 million worth of property tax rebates over the next

10 years, in exchange for building the mall and making infrastructure improvements nearby.

The companies bought the 42-acre mall site from a trust owned by Sarah Belk Gambrell last year for $8.7 million.

The mall is just under 400,000 square feet. For comparison, Concord Mills and SouthPark mall, both also owned by Simon, total 1.4 million and 1.6 million square feet, respectively.